The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Kibetio.
The new Impatiens is a product of a planned breeding program by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Impatiens cultivars with interesting and unique flower and foliage colors.
The new Impatiens originated from a cross made by the Inventor of the Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as DE 29, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent, with the Impatiens hawkeri selection identified as BP 330, not patented, as the female, or seed parent. The cultivar Kibetio was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Gensingen, Germany in April, 1997.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Gensingen, Germany, has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Kibetioxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Kibetioxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Impatiens cultivar:
1. Dark pink-colored flowers with light lavender eye.
2. Freely flowering habit with flowers positioned above or beyond the foliage.
3. Rounded, somewhat upright and compact plant habit.
4. Freely branching growth habit; bushy appearance.
5. Leaves that are somewhat upright in aspect; dark green and somewhat glossy.
6. Relatively resistant to Botrytis.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection BP 330, plants of the new Impatiens are more compact and have larger flowers with a more pronounced eye. Compared to plants of the male parent, the selection DE 29, plants of the new Impatiens are more vigorous, have glossier green foliage and flower color is brighter pink.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Delias, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,838. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Delias in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens are more vigorous and bushier than plants of the cultivar Delias.
2. Leaves of the new Impatiens are more upright in aspect than leaves of the cultivar Delias.
3. Flower color of the new Impatiens is more intense pink with a lighter eye than flower color of the cultivar Delias.
4. Plants of the new Impatiens are more resistant to Botrytis than plants of the cultivar Delias.
Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of the cultivar Tahiti, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,601. Plants of the new Impatiens differ from plants of the cultivar Tahiti in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Impatiens are less vigorous than plants of the cultivar Tahiti.
2. Leaves of the new Impatiens are more upright in aspect, smaller and glossier than leaves of the cultivar Tahiti.
3. Flower color of the new Impatiens is more intense pink with a lighter eye than flower color of the cultivar Tahiti.
4. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants of the cultivar Tahiti.